In what should prove as a bellwether game, the Trojans are on the road in Lincoln, Nebraska tonight for a matchup with the 5-1 Cornhusters. SC has lost 3 of 4, after starting out 2-0.

If the Trojans want to make the NCAA without winning the Pac-12 post-season Tournament, they are going to have to stop dropping out-of-conference games. After this, the Trojans play ranked New Mexico on the road, followed by Tubby Smith’s ranked Minnesota team, and later on Georgia (in Athens) and Dayton. In other words, with 3 non-conference losses already under SC’s belt, and several tough non-conference games left, tonight is really not a game USC can afford to lose.